


Where Worlds Meet

by tmo



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Domestic Fluff, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, Forests, Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:13:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmo/pseuds/tmo
Summary: Iruka has been going to the woods every weekend.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 5
Kudos: 82
Collections: Naruto Fantasy Week 2020





	Where Worlds Meet

**Author's Note:**

> Not uploaded on the actual 4th day of fantasy week but.....  
> It's not the 21st so!

_‘Have a great ‘hike’. Say hi to your boyfriend for me.’_

Naruto’s text was a lot easier to read than the little note he’d snuck into Iruka’s backpack. The spur of emojis that followed had Iruka huffing and taking a picture of the start of the trail to show Naruto he was there. 

_‘I really am hiking, goofball. Don’t burn the house down until I get back.’_

With the promise of more pictures, the teacher pulled his backpack on, finished his snacks and left the garbage with his car in the small, dirt parking lot. 

When he was in college, Iruka had gotten used to hiking every weekend but all that had quickly stopped when he started fostering Naruto. Now that the boy was older and much more manageable, Iruka had time to hike on the weekends and just get away from all the nonsense of the real world. And sometimes Naruto’s nonsense. 

The boy could get into the oddest of interests sometimes, this month's being lizards. Not that Iruka didn't like lizards but their heat lamps sure made their home unbearable sometimes.

So, Iruka had left Naruto for the day with a stack of movies and video games that could keep him busy for at least an hour. 

Up North, where the trees grew tall and their roots knotting along the earth, Iruka found a great trail that not many people knew of. The trail at first was steep and zig-zagged over the side of the mountain before flattening out completely. The trees were so tall, the light streaming through their foliage in beams of gold and green. The bushes had stopped and the bugs were few but life was busy in the forest’s peace. 

Bird calls fluttered through the trees and the small animals skittered across the faint path as Iruka walked through. The leaves would begin to fall soon as the summer heat tapered off but for not the ground was covered in short grass, moss and single-leafed stems that made a carpet of green on the forest floor. 

Iruka had walked these woods before and knew where he was going, walking across a fallen tree as a stream trickled beneath. On the other side, he knew that was there the forest would change. It would feel different. The light would get colder but the trees would be even more green. It wasn't too far ahead. The change couldn't be seen until you were inside it, moving through the different forests. 

Iruka knew by the change in smells and the faint tones that he was there. The first time, he'd thought he was nearing a flower patch but there was none in sight, just the faint smell of lavender and gardenias before he blinked and suddenly things were different. 

As Iruka stepped through, he smiled at the smell and kept going. He didn't have time for smells or beautiful views. There was someone he had to meet.

"For once, I'm not the late one," Kakashi chided playfully as a large, fallen tree came into view.

"Hey, if you can be late, I can be late too sometimes," Iruka grinned at the pale figure watching him walk up, his ethereal features lifting when his eyes found Iruka.

He lifted a sharp brow and gave the faintest of smirks as he joked, "But if you're not on time, the world might fall apart." 

For fae, Iruka knew that smile was as big as they got and he sat down next to the calm creature who he'd met many weeks before. Since the day Iruka had stumbled upon Kakashi sleeping in that very spot and struck up a conversation, he'd found it hard for his mind not to drift back to this place and this man. 

If you could consider Kakashi a man at all, that is. Other than the general height and features, the similarities mostly ended there. Any traits that would be comparable to humans were amplified. His cheekbones could cut glass, his eyes were pools of molten obsidian and his skin was hard to look at as if he were constantly out of focus. The most incredible part of him though were the long, iridescent wings that draped down his back like a cape set too low.

Kakashi, the winter fae king, was a mysterious and beautiful creature to behold. 

And Iruka loved talking to him.

"The question is if you'd rather there be someone else in the picture to help." Kakashi waved a chip in Iruka's direction. He was asking difficult questions again and Iruka groaned.

"Kakashi, we've been over this. I don't need someone else to help me parent." Iruka took a chip for himself and meekly muttered, "I just like your advice."

Kakashi eyed him down but Iruka wouldn't cave under that intense gaze, not again at least. The fae shrugged. "Fine. My suggestion, in that case, would be to give the boy more chores."

When Iruka muttered under his breath sassily, Kakashi flicked Iruka's nose. "Sorry, I can't hear you."

"I said he doesn't do them even when I remind him to," Iruka said through chuckles, shooing away Kakashi's long fingers. "I'm too chill. Maybe I should start yelling more."

The fae king looked over at him and shook his head, suddenly very serious. "Use your wit. You have loads of it."

Rolling his eyes, Iruka quickly changed the subject before his cheeks could get anymore flushed from the king's subtle but consistent flirting, “How’s the winter planning going?”

“Boring as always,” Kakashi sighed, moving to instead play with the ends of Iruka’s hair. “I would love some company before the winter comes.”

Even though it was an intriguing offer, Iruka knew better than to go to a land he wasn’t equipped to handle. Just like Kakashi would be in his world, Iruka would be a fish out of water. Of course, they both knew how impossible an offer it was.

Before Iruka could even respond, Kakashi quickly said, “Just a thought. Especially since I won’t be able to see you once winter comes.”

With growing frustration, Iruka changed the painful subject before it could get any more melancholy, "It's getting late."

As he slowly packed up his lunch and things, Kakashi only sat there and watched with a frown creasing his beautiful features. 

This was always the hardest part, leaving.

But Iruka slipped on his backpack anyway and stood to head to his own world, the place where Kakashi’s kind was unheard of. Kakashi was still frowning though, not meeting Iruka's eyes for a long moment.

"I'll see you next week," Iruka assured and for a while, Kakashi made no move. Slightly hurt, Iruka turned to leave but Kakashi suddenly stood and caught his wrist. It had been impulsive, random and sudden. It took them both by surprise, standing an arm's reach away and just staring. They both were stuck looking at each other, pulse racing before Iruka finally broke and looked away. He managed to say even though it hurt, "Next week."

It made Kakashi let go. He didn't dare look up at the hurt words, "I'll be here."

And then Iruka left.

Heart aching and pounding at the same time, he hurried back through the woods and back to his car. With his backpack thrown into the passenger’s seat, Iruka’s forehead hit the wheel and he groaned. There wasn’t anything he could do about the soft feelings he had for the beautiful, ethereal man of the forest. They were from two completely different worlds. Iruka was just a simple human with his own responsibilities and a kid he loved and took care of. 

He couldn’t afford to care about Kakashi, the guilty pleasure he visited on the weekend. 

No matter how much he liked that guilty pleasure.

Iruka cranked on his car and started heading back home, back to the city.

Window down and sighing into the breeze, the ride home felt like it took forever and he finally got back just before supper time. 

Naruto perked up from the kitchen, hopping off his stool to open the door for his tired foster dad.

“Welcome home!” Naruto greeted, his face streaked with something orange and Iruka cringed.

“What is going on in here?” He marvelled as Naruto dragged him into a messy, confused kitchen. There was water spilled on the ground, pots and pans were messy and strewn about but the worst of all was the mess of orange, cheese-smelling smears that were peppered all over the small kitchen. To himself, Iruka muttered in shock, “Am I like this when I cook?”

“I made supper,” Naruto grinned as he jumped back onto his stepping stool and stirred the pot he’d been working on. “It’s just normal Mac and cheese. I accidentally burned the hot dogs I was going to chop up in there.”

Looking at the ashen remains on the stove as his heart burned with fondness, Iruka held back a laugh. “This is great, Naruto.”

“Really?” Naruto was sparkling. Iruka pulled out a clean rag to wipe down the boy’s face.

“Really. But this mess isn’t!”

They both deflated at the view and set about cleaning together, Iruka teaching Naruto how to clean well from experience. 

After finally eating, Iruka took his time at the kitchen table with his thoughts as Naruto spent more of his endless energy setting up a board game he wanted them to play. Things were going back to routine and the weekend was fading away. The day already felt like a million years ago, his walk through the forest and talk with a king. It all felt as surreal as it sounded now and Iruka let it slowly seep into myth again.

At least, that was before the doorbell rang and Iruka went to answer it.

Dragging himself to the door, Iruka suddenly was wide awake again when he saw the person standing in the doorway.

"Long time no see," Kakashi joked, his beautiful wings peeking out behind his head in a way that was definitely not human and definitely not normal.

Before Iruka could even wake out of his shocked stupor, Naruto poked his head out and asked, "Who's this?"

Shocked, Iruka wondered how Naruto could think any of this made sense.

"Hi, I'm Sukea. I'm a friend of your dad's," Kakashi introduced politely, reaching to shake Naruto’s hand. The boy shone, eagerly shaking Kakashi’s hand.

“Wow, you’re so tall,” Naruto called, measuring himself against Kakahi’s leg and the fae king chuckled.

“Why, thank you. I put a lot of work into getting this tall,” Kakashi joked before looking up at Iruka with a hopeful smile. “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” Iruka said faintly, letting the creature follow Naruto into their home and coming to the conclusion that Naruto didn’t see what Iruka was seeing. If he did, he wouldn’t be acting like Kakashi was any other adult. He would probably be asking about the wings and the pointy ears and just the general… fae-ness.

“So, what brings you into the neighbourhood,” Iruka asked through a stained smile, hoping Kakashi would take the hint. 

“I missed you,” Kakashi said plainly and Iruka blushed brightly. Naruto’s snicker from the living room had him shooting daggers at the twelve-year-old. 

Through his strained smile, Iruka asked, “And your outfit?”

Kakashi winked then, looking towards the mirror by the front door. “Does it look good on me?”

That was when Iruka saw what Naruto saw; a tall, brown-haired human with light grey eyes and the same birthmark that linked this Sukea personality to Kakashi. 

“It does,” Iruka said shyly, both of them seemingly on the same page

“Hey! Sukea!” Naruto called, waving to them from the living room. “How do you like Milles Bornes?”

“Never played,” Kakashi answered and curiously joined Naruto by the couch, both of them sitting down as Naruto explained the rules.

“It’s really easy! It’s like a race! So, you’ve got point cards, problem cards and solution cards. You have to try to get to seven hundred points but if I hit you with a problem card like a flat tire, you can’t play until you get a new tire card,” Naruto quickly explained, showing Kakashi cards that he simply blinked at and Iruka hoped that Kakashi knew what a red light was. Hopefully, Kakashi knew what a car even was. As Naruto explained, Iruka gained nothing from the nodding Kakashi was doing. 

“Got it?” The boy asked and Kakashi shrugged.

“Sure.”

“Sure like you get it or sure like you don’t understand a thing?”

“Sure like I’ve never played before and will try my best,” Kakashi countered and the boy nodded.

“Good. Iruka! Come play!” 

Iruka blinked, so surprised by whatever was going on that he didn’t even know he was staring. He sat down to join them, studying Kakashi intently as they started playing. Which turned out to be quite hilarious when Naruto would scold Kakashi for putting for a gas card when he was given an accident card.

“As if that’s going to help you!” Naruto laughed, rolling over himself as Kakashi just chuckled. When Iruka leaned over Kakashi’s shoulder to peek at his cards, they fae didn’t stop him and Iruka found that Kakashi had every kind of solution card, including the repair card he needed.

Reaching over, Iruka tapped the card and Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at him. Iruka then realized they were very close and he blushed especially hard when Naruto called, “Hey! No cheating!” 

“I was just helping him,” Iruka said innocently but Naruto wasn’t buying it.

“Nuh-uh, you’re just trying to take advantage of your boyfriend!” As Iruka sat, shell-shocked, Naruto motioned for Kakashi to move away as he declared, “The goal is a thousand points now!”

While Iruka groaned, Kakashi just chuckled and put down another card that had Naruto yelling in frustration. Finally, after Naruto beat them a few times, he passed out on the couch.

Kakashi was helping wash the rest of their dishes when Iruka asked suspiciously, “Did you follow me home?”

“Would you be mad if I said yes?” Kakashi calmly replied and Iruka had to be real with himself.

“No. You just took me by surprise.” Iruka looked around the little home he and Naruto had created and wondered aloud, “Why though?”

Kakashi didn’t meet Iruka’s eyes as he said softly, “I wanted to see what your home was like.”

“That’s all?” Iruka prodded and the fae king looked up. At that moment, he looked even more bewitching than he had in the woods, wearing Iruka’s dolphin apron and his guard completely down. Then he said words that had Iruka’s chest bubbling with adoration.

“I wanted to know why you kept leaving.” Kakashi put down the plate he’d been washing and said so candidly, “You’re the first person I’ve met who left but kept coming back.”

Before Iruka could find words to express the fluttering under his skin, Kakashi pulled off the apron and started gathering his things. It was only when he was at the door, about to leave that Iruka called out, “Tomorrow is movie night.”

Curious, Kakashi turned and asked, “What’s a movie?”

Iruka grinned as he walked Kakashi to the door and said, “You’ll find out.”

“I look forward to it,” Kakashi said right before pecking Iruka on the cheek and stepping out.

Trying to play it cool, Iruka leaned on the door frame and waved. With a wink, the winter fae king swept up out of sight, leaving a trail of fading snowflakes and a burning excitement in Iruka’s heart.

**Author's Note:**

> just another little glimpse into another world.  
> also fae king Kakashi  
> it's the summer so he's on vacation for now.


End file.
